New demonstration CPU miner available

[lfm]

...
Lastly, algorithm cryptopp_asm32 consistently generates proof of work that gets rejected with a "Boo" message.

This would be normal. Only 1/difficulty (1 in 12253) of the initial proof of work gets a yay, the rest get boo.

[jgarzik]

another fix for Via padlock, the 64 byte offset to the data parameter in the sha256 calls should not be used for via or it should be subtracted back out in the sha256_via.c

Good catch.  This seems to imply that sha256_via has never actually worked.  I pushed the following change out to git... can anyone test the latest git on testnet and verify that a proof-of-work is actually found?  This bitcoind patch may help debugging: http://yyz.us/bitcoin/patch.bitcoin-pow-fail

Code:

diff --git a/cpu-miner.c b/cpu-miner.c
index ac151f6..138ec9c 100644
--- a/cpu-miner.c
+++ b/cpu-miner.c
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ static void *miner_thread(void *thr_id_int)
 
 #ifdef WANT_VIA_PADLOCK
                case ALGO_VIA:
-                       rc = scanhash_via(work.midstate, work.data + 64,
+                       rc = scanhash_via(work.midstate, work.data,
                                          work.hash1, work.hash,
                                          &hashes_done);
                        break;
diff --git a/sha256_via.c b/sha256_via.c
index 45e6821..ef2c102 100644
--- a/sha256_via.c
+++ b/sha256_via.c
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ bool scanhash_via(const unsigned char *midstate, const unsigne
        unsigned char data[128] __attribute__((aligned(128)));
        unsigned char tmp_hash1[32] __attribute__((aligned(128)));
        uint32_t *hash32 = (uint32_t *) hash;
-       uint32_t *nonce = (uint32_t *)(data + 12);
+       uint32_t *nonce = (uint32_t *)(data + 64 + 12);
        uint32_t n = 0;
        unsigned long stat_ctr = 0;
        int i;

[jgarzik]

Version 0.3.1 released.  Changes:
- Critical fix for sha256_via
- Retry JSON-RPC failures (see --retry, under "minerd --help" output)

SHA1: c8da4ed8d73d71a73795b153f4ea157041cc51ba  cpuminer-installer-0.3.1.zip
MD5: 69c228d4846e9940e3129a395a947080  cpuminer-installer-0.3.1.zip

Still don't know if sha256_via actually works -- testnet or pool testers requested.

[DerrikeG]

Version 0.3.1 released.  Changes:
- Critical fix for sha256_via
- Retry JSON-RPC failures (see --retry, under "minerd --help" output)

SHA1: c8da4ed8d73d71a73795b153f4ea157041cc51ba  cpuminer-installer-0.3.1.zip
MD5: 69c228d4846e9940e3129a395a947080  cpuminer-installer-0.3.1.zip

Still don't know if sha256_via actually works -- testnet or pool testers requested.

I can't get via to work, it just starts and ends without any messages, even when -d and -P flags are provided. Running the windows build on windows XP.
Also, what is (if there is any) the sleep time between retries? Is there a way to set it to retry indefinitely with a reasonable amount of time between attempts? Supplying the retry command at all causes it to instantly crash for me.

[jgarzik]

I can't get via to work, it just starts and ends without any messages, even when -d and -P flags are provided. Running the windows build on windows XP.

Can you try this?   http://yyz.us/bitcoin/cpuminer-installer-0.3.1-i486.zip

The default cpuminer is built "-march=i686", which means the compiler generates and optimizes for Intel chips i686 and later.  Some VIA chips lack a few key CPU instructions such as 'cmov' that the compiler generates, and as a result, minerd.exe binaries on these older VIA CPUs will probably crash.

[DerrikeG]

Can you try this?   http://yyz.us/bitcoin/cpuminer-installer-0.3.1-i486.zip

The default cpuminer is built "-march=i686", which means the compiler generates and optimizes for Intel chips i686 and later.  Some VIA chips lack a few key CPU instructions such as 'cmov' that the compiler generates, and as a result, minerd.exe binaries on these older VIA CPUs will probably crash.

No luck. Additionally, 4way on that build  behaves like via does (doesn't work, quits instantly). C goes slower than usual. Cryptopp too. Cryptopp_asm32 clocks in where it used to, though.

[jgarzik]

DerrikeG, what is your CPU manufacturer and model name?

[ColdHardMetal]

I just set this miner up and it appears to be working. However it is only running at about a third to a quarter of the hash speed I get when running the bitcoin client. It says it only has 1 miner thread started, do I need to increase that number in order for it to up it's speed?

I have a quad-core processor running Win7 64 if that matters.

[slush]

I just set this miner up and it appears to be working. However it is only running at about a third to a quarter of the hash speed I get when running the bitcoin client. It says it only has 1 miner thread started, do I need to increase that number in order for it to up it's speed?

I have a quad-core processor running Win7 64 if that matters.

Rise your 'threads' parameter to 4. Also play with 'algo' parameter, this can help a lot.

[davout]

It does, you should check the command line options, they'll allow you to specify the number of threads you want running, usually one per core.
Also you can try the other options and see what works best for you.

[ColdHardMetal]

I just set this miner up and it appears to be working. However it is only running at about a third to a quarter of the hash speed I get when running the bitcoin client. It says it only has 1 miner thread started, do I need to increase that number in order for it to up it's speed?

I have a quad-core processor running Win7 64 if that matters.

Rise your 'threads' parameter to 4. Also play with 'algo' parameter, this can help a lot.

Yeah, there it is.

I tried that before and it was just doing the same thing. However there were some json_rpc_call failed messages that must have been 3 of the threads not starting right away. This time they all hooked on.

Thanks.

[ColdHardMetal]

Weird. Running it with 4 threads is causing my GPU hash rate to bog down. That doesn't seem right. Why would the 2 be connected. The certainly are though because it sped up again when I shut the CPU miner down. That never happened when I was using the bitcoin client to generate. I'll try it with 2 threads and see what happens.

[Qoad Sof]

Lastly, algorithm cryptopp_asm32 consistently generates proof of work that gets rejected with a "Boo" message.

I'm seeing the same problem. I've had many rejects and no successes using cryptopp_asm32 and have had many successes and very few rejects using the default algorithm. I'm using version 0.3.1. Has anyone had any success using cryptopp_asm32?

[mestar]

Works here, cryptopp_asm32 works 20% faster than 'c', so its about the same speed as the bitcoin standard client on windows 7-64.  This is the fastest client so far.

1200 khash per core, on both 2.66 intel quad core and 2.66 intel core duo, per core that is.

[mestar]

340494672d3a2d92b7b2e00000000
HashMeter(3): 4491213 hashes, 1214.76 khash/sec
PROOF OF WORK FOUND?  submitting...
PROOF OF WORK RESULT: false (booooo)

Yes, same here, never seen those booo's on 'c' setting, now on cryptopp_asm32 and I only get those.

[kseistrup]

PROOF OF WORK FOUND?  submitting...
PROOF OF WORK RESULT: false (booooo)

Yes, same here, never seen those booo's on 'c' setting, now on cryptopp_asm32 and I only get those.

Same here…

Cheers,

[jgarzik]

What does this bitcoin patch print out for you, when using cryptopp_asm32?

http://yyz.us/bitcoin/patch.bitcoin-pow-fail

[kseistrup]

What does this bitcoin patch print out for you, when using cryptopp_asm32?

http://yyz.us/bitcoin/patch.bitcoin-pow-fail

main.cpp?  There's no such file in the cpuminer directory…

Cheers,

[DerrikeG]

Also, what is (if there is any) the sleep time between retries? Is there a way to set it to retry indefinitely with a reasonable amount of time between attempts? Supplying the retry command at all (as -r or --retry) causes it to instantly crash for me.

This problem still exists with the latest version of CPU miner. (The one presently in the OP.)

[zipslack]

main.cpp?  There's no such file in the cpuminer directory…

I think he's asking you to patch the Bitcoin client to which you are connecting your CPU miner, not the miner itself.